1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hard carbon film overlaid on an object. In particular, the invention relates to a hard carbon protection film overlaid on the bottom surface of a slider body in a head slider. The head slider may be incorporated within a magnetic recording medium drive such as a hard disk drive, for example.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, ahead slider includes a hard carbon film formed to extend over the bottom surface of a slider body. Electronic cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition (ECR-CVD) or ion beam deposition (IBD) is usually utilized to form the hard carbon film. The hard carbon film covers over a head or transducer element exposed from the slider body. The hard carbon film serves to protect the head element from damages even when the head slider collides against a hard disk, representative of a magnetic recording medium, and/or contaminations scattered over the head disk.
Fluorine is applied to the surface of the hard carbon film. The surface of the hard carbon film is exposed to CF4 plasma for the application of the fluorine. The fluorine serves to prevent adherence or attachment of water or a lubricant agent to the surface of the hard carbon film. Corrosion of the head element can thus be prevented. In addition, if adherence or attachment of water or a lubricant agent is reliably prevented in this manner, the head slider is allowed to keep flying above the surface of the magnetic recording medium or hard disk by a stable flying height.
As conventionally known, an increased quantity of sp3 carbon bonds leads to establishment of the compact structure in the hard carbon film. An increased hardness of the hard carbon film gets improved. However, the hardness of the hard carbon film tends to hinder attachment or adherence of the fluorine to the surface of the hard carbon film. Insufficient application of the fluorine may lead to an inevitable attachment or adherence of water or lubricant agent to the head slider.